For the record

I sincerely expect this to be my last pregnancy. I have been a bit amazed and bemused at how few details I can recall of the other pregnancies. I recall emotions, overall impressions, but certainly no dates or real facts. Maybe that is how pregnancy horror stories grow so easily - no one remembers anything except how they felt, which gets translated into much worse stories than reality. Thus, I intend to use this blog to keep an accurate record of just a few facts for this, my last journey through pregnancy.

Nausea
The weeks here are back-calculated from your due-date, as estimated by early ultrasound on June 24.

I started feeling that odd, "all day" sick that I associate with pregnancy on June 15 or 16 (5.5 weeks). It wasn't really miserable yet - I didn't even change my eating habits - but it was the final encouragement I needed to get a home pregnancy test.

I first threw up on June 19 (6 weeks). After that, the all-day, lay around the house and be miserable, nausea started in earnest. Oddly enough, I found that going running was one of the best cures for nausea. I didn't feel at all sick as long as I was moving.

I didn't actually vomit again for a week, on June 27 (7 weeks). But I sure wished I could have a number of time in between.

Had a reasonably good week, including during our trip to VA. As long as I ate regulary and well, I felt okay. But the day we drove home was terrible. I was nauseated the entire 13 hour drive, only to vomit prolifically as I stepped into our driveway at midnight (7/6). Next two days were also a complete loss, vomiting again on July 8 (nearly 9 wks).

The next morning, my "PrimaBella" band arrived by Fed Ex and seemed to maybe be a miracle - I went to work, felt pretty good, was even late getting lunch and not too sick. Unfortunately, seemed to be less and less effective each successive day. Have pretty much lost the weekend lying on the couch feeling tired and nauseated. at 9 wks now - here's hoping this will end by 13 wks instead of much later.

Spent week 10 pretty miserable. Eased into week 11 with the arrival of Jeff and Shannon and my most prolific and projectile vomiting yet (7/23). Thankfully, went on to have a pretty great week for vacation at the lake. Managed to stay up past midnight for my high school reunion (20 years!) without getting sick. Felt functional if marginal most of the week, with only 2 days of "I am not getting out of bed for any reason." Even managed to go running with Shannon one day - run 1 mile, walk 1/2 mile, run 1 mile, walk 1/2 mile, all in just over 30 minutes. Of course, next day was a bad one. Didn't actually vomit the whole week of vacation.

It was Week 12, the Monday (8/2) after we returned, when I let loose again. This was also the day Jeff and Shannon departed. Maybe I just need them in the state to feel well.

Week 13 begins tomorrow. Today (8/4), I actually drank lemonade and ate a small piece of cake at a church meeting. Two weeks ago, that would have had me vomiting before I finished. Tonight, I enjoyed it. Eating dessert again is a trend I can enjoy, even if my weight gain might not appreciate it. Still, at 13 weeks, I have lost a pound or two overall, so I fell that I am doing okay. Although, since my belly is multiple inches larger, I wonder where the weight has been lost from? I have a sinking suspicion it is all just muscle mass. Oh well.
Okay, week 13 didn't go so well. The all-day nausea is mostly gone, but tired and a bit "off" each morning, then a spectacularly large vomit event after lunch on week 13 day 0, day 1, day 2, day 4, day 6. Ugh.

Week 14 - much better. No vomiting, and much less nausea. Looking up? Managed to travel to Seattle and back this week, with odd meal times, sleep schedules, and all, and still felt pretty good, most of the time.


Belly-size
Still feeling reasonably normal sized up until 7 weeks. I have had a bit of a belly that I wanted to get rid of for a few months before the pregnancy, so I suppose that will mask growth a bit, now.

On June 27 (7 weeks), I noticed for the first time that I really wanted to unbutton my shorts. So I guess this is real growing, now. Time to look for clothes with no waists for a while.

On July 12 (9 wks) was in church for the first time in 3 weeks. Felt conspicuous. Haven't told people yet but feeling like it must be getting obvious - just not quite obvious enough for anyone to ask. But I don't know any way to make a "general announcement" so I will just have to rely on word-of-mouth and the passage of time.

August 4 (13 wks tomorrow) - able to tell a "crowd" tonight at church meeting tonight, so hopefully word will spread now. Belly doesn't seem to have grown at all since 7 wks - just a perpetual "bigness" that borders between "Is she pregnant or just getting fatter?" So, I will feel less self-conscious having people know. Apparently the growth pattern for baby #4 is pop out instantly and hang there until the baby grows enough to catch up with the belly size.

Body aches and pains
I recall saying once that my first clue that I was pregnant with John was that my hips ached at night in bed, and I couldn't sleep more than an hour without tossing or turning. This time around, I was thinking that it has been worth every penny for our new mattress (bought since John was born). I had been sleeping very comfortably.

On June 25 (7 weeks) I did for the first time put a pillow between my knees. The mattress helps a lot, but I was starting to feel the strain on the top hip.

One June 28, I added a pillow under my abdomen. I recall that I didn't need that so much for a previous pregnancy (I think it was John?) but that I was desperately miserable without it for another one (Maggie?). Could this be a sign of another girl? Probably not. Since I can't even recall for sure if it was the other way around, it probably doesn't make a good indicator. :)

Girl or Boy?
It is still very early to have an intuition, but I recall thinking that I "knew" (correctly) with each of the other 3 kids, well before the ultrasound confirmed a sex. I wonder how I will do this time?

Jeremy is thinking it is a boy, right now. That was my first inclination, too. I don't know why. But it is not a strong enough feeling that I would stake my guess on it, yet.

I think my nausea patterns follow a progession of intensity with pregnancy, rather than with baby's sex. Although in honest assessment, I am probably not sicker this time than with John. Would I be if this were a girl? Hmm.

My dreams were always the best telltale. I will wait and see if I have a convincing one. I think they always came around the end of the first trimester.